Genealogy John Muijsers » Elisabeth van Herford (1618-1680)

Personal data Elisabeth van Herford 

• She was born on December 26, 1618.
• Profession: prinses-abdis van Herford.
• She died on February 11, 1680, she was 61 years old.
• A child of Frederick v van de Palts and Elizabeth Stuart

Household of Elisabeth van Herford

Notes about Elisabeth van Herford

Elisabeth of the Palatinate (26 December 1618 – 11 February 1680), also known as Elisabeth of Bohemia, Princess Elisabeth of the Palatinate, or Princess-Abbess of Herford Abbey, was the eldest daughter of Frederick V, Elector Palatine (who was briefly King of Bohemia), and Elizabeth Stuart. Much of her life outside of her familial relations is unknown.[1] She was born in Heidelberg, Germany, spending the first nine years of her life there. When she was nine, she went to live in Leyden, with her brother and was raised in a nursery palace to complete her studies. After finishing her studies, she was deemed ready to live in The Hague with her mother.

Elisabeth was sent back to live in Germany and then eventually took her vows in a Protestant convent at Herford Abbey in Westphalia as Princess-Abbess.[2] During her days as head of the Abbey, she provided refuge for many Protestants during a time of great persecution.

She influenced many key figures and philosophers, most notably René Descartes. She is most famous for questioning Descartes' idea of Dualism, or the mind being separate from the body, in addition to questioning his theories regarding communication between the mind and body. The written correspondence of Descartes and Elisabeth is regarded as an important philosophical document, giving insight into the theoretical debates of the 17th century.

Elisabeth was known for her intelligent and caring nature. She died in 1680 after suffering from a painful illness for several years.

After the overthrow of her father, she lived in Berlin, under the care of her grandmother Juliana, a daughter of William of Orange, who gave her thoughts a lofty and pious direction. Elisabeth was known and revered by the people around her for her intelligence. Known as "La Grecque" ("The Greek"), she was fluent in multiple languages, including Latin and was very well rounded, learning history, geography, and mathematics. It is said that she also dabbled in the fine arts, such as painting, dancing, and poetry. Elisabeth was taught by her mother, her grandmother and had various tutors. In her ninth or tenth year, she was sent with her siblings to complete her education in Leiden, Netherlands before moving to The Hague, where her parents kept a quiet court surrounded by a select circle of noble and educated men. However, this extensive education did not seem to satisfy Elisabeth's hunger for knowledge. Throughout her adult years, she would engage in written correspondence with many renowned intellects and contemporaries of her time.[3]

In 1639, she entered into correspondence with Anna Maria van Schurman, a learned woman, called the Dutch Minerva. A little later she also corresponded with Descartes. Their letters to each other have been preserved. At her request, Descartes became her teacher in philosophy and morals, and in 1644 he dedicated to her his Principia. In 1649, Descartes followed an invitation of Queen Christina of Sweden, but continued in correspondence with Elisabeth until he died the following year. At this time, Elisabeth returned to Heidelberg with her brother Charles Louis who was now elector, but his conjugal troubles induced her to leave. During a visit to an aunt at Krossen, she became acquainted with Johannes Cocceius who later entered into correspondence with her and dedicated to her his exposition of the Song of Songs. Through him, she was led to the study of the Bible.

In 1667, she became princess-abbess of Herford Abbey, a Protestant convent. She presided over the convent and also governed the surrounding community of 7,000 people. As princess-abbess, she distinguished herself by faithfulness in the performance of her duties, by her modesty and philanthropy, and especially by her kind hospitality to all who were oppressed for the sake of conscience. In 1670, she received the followers of French Pietist Jean de Labadie. Saddened by the departure of the congregation in 1672, she retained a small body of like-minded souls under her protection. The Labadistes were followed in 1676 by the Quakers. In 1677, William Penn himself arrived together with Robert Barclay, and remained three days, holding meetings which made a deep impression upon the countess. Her friendship with Penn lasted until her death in 1680, and he celebrated her memory in the second edition of his book No Cross, No Crown (1682), praising her piety and virtue, her simplicity, her care as ruler, her justice, humility, and charitable love. Gottfried Leibniz visited her in 1678.

Elisabeth was regarded by Descartes, John Pell, and faculty at the University of Leiden as a skilled mathematician.[4] In addition to being reputed for her intelligence and distinguished correspondence, Elisabeth was known for her piety and humility. While many people of her time may have liked to have read her correspondence, or heard directly from her, she refused to have her letters to Descartes or any others published in her lifetime. This left her in relative obscurity for almost two hundred years after her death, until a French aristocrat discovered and made public her writings.

Although she is best known for her correspondence, particularly with Descartes, Elisabeth was perhaps most passionate about her Protestant faith and spent most of her adult life promoting Calvinism. While she was princess-abbess of Herford, the abbey was known as a refuge of liberty during a time of severe persecution for Protestants. She allowed many of the persecuted into the city and took them under her care.

Elisabeth was respected by many, and said to have influence with numerous key people, who in turn, went on to influence others, including Descartes and Penn. Penn was influenced by her generosity and later noted that in his reception of the Reformed Church in America.

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Timeline Elisabeth van Herford

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